BC Place's FIFA World Cup facelift is complete
BC Place looks a lot different from what it did just a few weeks ago.
Fenced off from the public in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup, the 43-year-old Downtown Vancouver stadium has been given quite a makeover. On Saturday, it’ll re-welcome fans for Vancouver’s first men’s World Cup match, featuring Australia and Türkiye.
Major upgrades include a new permanent merchandise store, renovated player locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms. There are also three new elevators within the stadium, and a number of new hospitality and hosting spaces.
BC Place’s first-ever permanent merchandise store is located inside Gate H.
Almost time. (FIFA)
It’s one of nine FIFA stores on site, including seven in the stadium, one in the hospitality village, and one in the stadium fan experience.
The new permanent merchandise store, located inside Gate H. (FIFA)
Also located inside Gate H is a FIFA World Cup plaque to commemorate BC Place’s role in the 2026 tournament.
The new plaque. (FIFA)
Player locker rooms have been upgraded, which will be a benefit to the Vancouver Whitecaps and BC Lions after the tournament is complete.
Inside the new player locker room. (FIFA)
Not all the changes are permanent, of course. FIFA branding is everywhere to give the tournament a special feel.
This is the tunnel players will walk before taking to the pitch (FIFA)
Over 2,000 stadium staff will be working on match days at over 100+ concession locations. This is in addition to the 700+ FIFA staff and volunteers working on match days.
The suite entrance. (FIFA)
The stadium has also made accommodations for members of the media, as a portion of the upper bowl will be used for reporters. FIFA says 475 media tribune positions will be in place for written press and photographers.
There’ll be 45 broadcast cameras in place for group-stage matches, and 50 for the matches in the Round of 32 and Round of 16.
Television broadcasts are the reason why BC Place’s retractable roof will be closed for matches, rain or shine.
Media tribune positions are being installed in the upper bowl, at centre field. (FIFA)
BC Place smells different, too.
The new natural grass pitch smells, well, like grass. It’s a hybrid sod/grass pitch, with an engineered mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, grown in Abbotsford. It’s equipped with an automatic irrigation system.
Smells like the World Cup. (FIFA)
Organizers are encouraging fans to leave plenty of extra time to get to matches.
Fans travelling by SkyTrain should get off at Main Street-Science World, not Stadium station, as the only entry is via Pacific Boulevard. The “vibrant spectator route” will include activations and activities along the way, FIFA says, before the security screening.